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“Christmas entails re-ordering the moral fabric of our society”

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Christmas entails the re-ordering of the moral fabric of our society and being rooted in a secure ethical foundation of the nation, says Rev. W.P. Ebenezer Joseph,  President of Conference, Methodist Church of Sri Lanka.

“Christmas entails the re-ordering of the moral fabric of our society and being rooted in a secure ethical foundation of the nations. At Christmas Grace and truth embraced each other, Justice and peace kissed each other. Therefore, we need to be alert, conscious and appropriately respond as to the ethical and moral norms on which we are trying build the future of our nation. We need to revisit the attempts to replenish the much-needed foreign exchange reserves by resorting to unethical measures like promoting high ended Casinos, growing ganja, turning a blind eye towards increasing prostitution in the country and the loss of dignity of our women working overseas as domestics etc. Such actions will only destroy the social fabric our nation and make our women and children more vulnerable. Recapturing and revitalizing a secure and firm moral foundation make Christmas vibrant and meaningful,” he said.

He added that “restoring the dignity and security of our women makes Christmas celebration meaningful.”
In his Christmas message, Rev. Ebenezer Joseph also said :

We are celebrating Christmas during a time of unprecedented economic and political crisis faced in the history of our country.  Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the true meaning of the celebration of the birth of Christ and the responsibility that it entails as well.

Christ was born amidst many uncertainties that prevailed in Palestine at that time.  Ordinary farmers and fishermen were pauperized.  A confusing political configuration was prevalent, where the power and authority of the Roman Caesar, was manifested through henchmen like King Herod and the Roman soldiers walking the streets of Palestine. The religious and religious institutions embarked on tacit collaboration with the powers that be, not only for their survival but also to benefit from the oppressive economic and social evils of that day.  The ordinary people lived in fear and anxiety with a sense of hopelessness not knowing what the future holds for them.  

It was very similar social climate to what we experience in our country today. Therefore, the Good News of peace on earth and goodwill among all humankind proclaimed by the angels, and the hope that God’s intervention in our social reality will change the future destiny of doom and despair as proclaimed by prophet Isaiah, has to be appropriated in our contemporary social reality.

The Christmas hope dawned through a Child, who had no room in the inn and was born in a vulnerable manger amidst the cattle. True celebration of Christmas entails in our responsibility to search diligently for all the Children who have no room nor even safe space in our contemporary reality today. The increasing malnutrition among children and evil clutches of the drug menace that deliberately ruins the innocent Children should be our Concern and worry this Christmas. Concrete steps taken to safe-guard our Children is authentic celebration of Christmas.

The Christmas hope dawned because of a sacrifice of a young virgin, Mother Mary, who could not grasp the mystery of the Child she bore, yet fulfilling her responsibility in obedience to the will of God.  We need to pay special attention to the plight of many women who are losing their dignity due the present crisis. We need to understand the sad plight of women who are forced to sell their bodies due to poverty through prostitution, abuse and exploitation. We also need to seek the welfare and dignity of all women who work as domestics whose hard labor in vulnerable conditions brings valuable foreign exchange to our country. Restoring the dignity and security of our women makes Christmas celebration meaningful.

The Christmas hope dawned because of the righteousness, morality and goodness that ruled the heart of a pauperized carpenter called Joseph. We need to be concerned of the untold misery experienced by the vulnerable and poor sections of the people, who struggle to feed the hungry stomachs and meet their medicinal needs due to the prevailing economic conditions.

At the same time Christmas entails the re-ordering of the moral fabric of our society and being rooted in a secure ethical foundation of the nations. At Christmas Grace and truth embraced each other, Justice and peace kissed each other. Therefore, we need to be alert, conscious and appropriately respond as to the ethical and moral norms on which we are trying build the future of our nation. We need to revisit the attempts to replenish the much-needed foreign exchange reserves by resorting to unethical measures like promoting high ended Casinos, growing ganja, turning a blind eye towards increasing prostitution in the country and the loss of dignity of our women working overseas as domestics etc. Such actions will only destroy the social fabric our nation and make our women and children more vulnerable. Recapturing and revitalizing a secure and firm moral foundation make Christmas vibrant and meaningful.

Amidst all uncertainties, the celebration of Christmas is a celebration of hope. The hope is that the future will be bright, where the people living in darkness will see light, and where all social conditions will be transformed affirming human dignity, ensuring good will among all humans, where all live without anger and hunger ensuring lasting peace. The celebration of this hope entails that we change our life style and life priorities to correspond to the new era we visualize and be living symbols of that hope. Embracing living out that transformation is the true meaning of Christmas.

May the celebration of Christmas enable us to join hands as one Sri Lankan family and restore the moral and ethical foundations of our society, where all live with dignity and specially our children, Women and the poor are freed from all evil menaces in society.

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HNB chairperson resigns

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In an unexpected development, Hatton National Bank Chairperson Ms. Aruni Goonetilleke submitted her resignation yesterday (Friday) at a special meeting of the board and a new chairperson was appointed.

The move surprised the stock market.

Following her resignation, the board decided to appoint Non-Executive/Non-Independent Director Nihal Jayawardene PC as the new Chairman of HNB, with effect from June 9, 2023.

HNB also announced the appointment of Non-Executive/Independent Director Parakrama Devaka Cooray as a Senior Independent Director of the board of HNB, with immediate effect.

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Boris Johnson resigns from UK parliament

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Boris Johnson, Britain’s former prime minister and one of the most divisive leaders of his generation, has resigned as a member of Parliament after accusing a committee of attempting to “drive me out,” he said in a letter on Friday.

The former Conservative party leader said he was “bewildered and appalled” after receiving a letter from the from a House of Commons committee, which is investigating whether he lied to British lawmakers over lockdown-breaking parties during the pandemic, known as ‘Partygate.’

Johnson, one of the main architects of Brexit, said the letter made “it clear, much to my amazement, that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament.”

The former leader said the committee’s Partygate report, which has yet to be released publicly, “is riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice but under their absurd and unjust process I have no formal ability to challenge anything they say.”

“I have today written to my association in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to say that I am stepping down forthwith and triggering an immediate by-election,” he said.

Last year, the Metropolitan Police issued Johnson and then-finance minister Rishi Sunak – who is currently Prime Minister – with a fine for attending a gathering in Downing Street during Covid-19 lockdown, making Johnson the first sitting UK prime minister to be found guilty of breaking the law.

This March, Johnson admitted to the committee that he misled Parliament about what happened, but claimed he did so unintentionally.

His resignation means Johnson gets to write the script to the end of his political career himself. Rather than face a by-election – should the investigation into his conduct during the pandemic demand it – or risk losing his seat at the next general election, he will avoid the indignity of public rejection.

The fact he won’t be booted out of parliament but leaves on his own terms will help Johnson and his supporters tell a story: That Johnson did great things in office, was betrayed and then forced from office by people like Sunak. If only he could have come back, the next general election and fate of the Conservative party would be saved, they’ll say.

Johnson’s current approval ratings suggest that might not have been true. But the point is that now we will never know. And that suits Johnson and his acolytes just fine.

In the lengthy statement on Friday, Johnson said he was a victim of “a witch hunt” that was taking revenge “for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result.”

Johnson also criticized Sunak’s government, saying that when he left office last year “the government was only a handful of points behind in the polls” but “that gap has now massively widened.”

“Just a few years after winning the biggest majority in almost half a century, that majority is now clearly at risk. Our party needs urgently to recapture its sense of momentum and its belief in what this country can do,” he said.

Johnson’s entire political career was built on his personality. He was the jovial, optimistic Conservative that even a liberal city like London could tolerate as mayor.

His TV persona – part clown; part pseudo-intellectual; part loveable-but-out-of-touch-poshboy – won Johnson fans beyond the traditional Conservative base. He loved being loved, and his supporters in the Conservative party still believe he is a once-in-a-generation vote winner who would romp to victory at the next election if he were still in power.

But Johnson was also desperate to be taken seriously – and his time as prime minister offered him plenty of opportunities. Brexit, arguably his greatest victory, required diplomacy and statecraft that eluded his predecessor Theresa May.

The Covid-19 pandemic put matters of life and death in the hands of national leaders. Johnson was criticized for being slow to act at first. But the UK’s rapid vaccine rollout – made possible by a huge gamble Johnson took – boosted his popularity at a critical moment in his premiership.

Johnson has also played a leading role in supporting Ukraine. So popular is he that some streets in Kyiv have been renamed after him.

This Johnson – the one that wins elections, delivers on the biggest policy issues of a generation, stands tall on the world stage – is the one he will want to be remembered. Not the person who broke his own Covid rules and became a political irrelevance. (CNN)

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Flights between Jaffna and Chennai are going to start during the whole week

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Discussions are underway to increase the number of flights between Jaffna and Chennai.

At present, only four flights are operated between India and Jaffna throughout the week.

The Ministry of Aviation has given the green light for the new arrangement to operate flights on all seven days throughout the week between India and Jaffna, and arrangements are underway to increase the frequency of flights between Jaffna and India in the near future.

These operations have been increased to cater to the growing demand from passengers travelling between Jaffna and Chennai and vice versa.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation had stated that no sooner Sri Lanka gets the Government of India loan facility for the development of Jaffna International Airport, the existing facilities in the airport will be further enhanced.

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